Langley, Forkert Highlight Five Sabres Earning All-NAC Honors

May 09, 2013

WAUKESHA, Wis. (SabreAthletics.com) – Marian University's Chad Langley was named to the All-Northern Athletics first team and highlighted five Sabres to earn postseason accolades, the league office announced, today, May 8. Sam Forkert claimed All-NAC second team honors, while Brandon Winfield was an honorable mention selection and Earl Vorpagel and Cole Miklavcic hauled in All-Freshmen team status.

Concordia Chicago placed a league-high nine players on the All-NAC squads, including four on the All-NAC first team. Benedictine was honored with the NAC Position Player and Pitcher of the Year with Tim Hendricks and Chris Jordan taking those awards, respectively. Meanwhile, Rockford's Cole Logemann was named the NAC Freshman of the Year, while Concordia Chicago's Adam Smith earned Coach of the Year honors.

Langley, who went 3-for-5 in the team's season finale on Tuesday, finished the year with a .408 batting average, good for fifth in the NAC. He also ranked in the top-10 in the NAC in triples (2nd), hits (58), RBIs (8th, total bases (8th), and first in fielding percentage, having not committed a single error in 324 total chances in 2013.

He led the Sabres with 19 multi-hit games, including six three-hit efforts and two four-hit contests. He ended the year with a 24-game reached base streak, the longest of his career.

Forkert went 4-3 on the mound with a 3.07 ERA in nine appearances, including eight starts. The junior finished second in the NAC with 61 strikeouts and was fifth with 58.2 innings pitched. He also logged three complete games.

Winfield made the smooth transition from reliever to starter midway through the year and flourished, going 2-3 with the second-lowest ERA in the league at 1.89, including a 1.24 ERA in conference play. Like Forkert, Winfield also went the distance on three occasions, including a complete-game shutout in a 4-0 victory over Edgewood at home on April 23. He finished seventh in the NAC with 42 strikeouts in 52.1 innings of work.

Vorpagel was a versatile weapon on Head Coach Jason Bartelt's staff, showing the ability to start, while also succeeding from a bullpen role. The freshman went 3-1 with a save and a 2.78 ERA over 22.2 innings pitched. Miklavcic batted .348 at the plate as the starting center fielder for the Sabres in his freshman season. He turned in nine extra-base hits and drove in 12 runs from the leadoff spot.

Marian finished the season with its best record since 2006, going 19-17 overall.

2013 Northern Athletics Conference Baseball Awards

Position Player of the Year: Tim Hendricks, Benedictine
Pitcher of the Year: Chris Jordan, Benedictine
Freshman of the Year: Cole Logemann, Rockford
Coach of the Year: Adam Smith, Concordia Chicago